§ 14. Mr. B. SMITHasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that pensions are awarded to the widows and dependants of retired officers and that the regulations governing the granting of pensions and gratuities to the relatives of officers state that these pensions cannot be claimed as a right but are granted as rewards for good and faithful service rendered by deceased officers and will only be conferred on persons deserving the public bounty, he will consider the desirability of issuing regulations giving to the relatives of men of the lower deck who have given good and faithful service similar privileges in the matter of pensions to those at present received by the relatives of officers?
Mr. DAVIDSONI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Devonport on the 12th February last on this subject, and to Clause 16 of the Widows, Orphans and Old Age Contributory Pensions Bill, which is at present awaiting a Second Beading